Asus ZenFone Max Pro M2

In 2018, Asus made a comeback in India with the Zenfone Max Pro M1, which was a big success. Treading on the same line, Asus decided to give the Zenfone Max Pro M1 an upgrade. The Asus Zenfone Max Pro M2 gets a significant improvement in almost every department, thereby emerging as a robust and reliable mid-ranger.

The Asus Zenfone Max Pro M2 sports a 6.26-inch display with a screen resolution of 1080 x 2280 pixels and an aspect ratio of 19:9. Unlike the Zenfone Max Pro M1 that runs on the ZenUI, the Max Pro M2 runs on the clean stock Android UI, which is precisely what Android enthusiasts look for.

The phone uses an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 64-bit chipset architecture. You get three storage variants – 3GB RAM/32GB internal storage, 4GB RAM/64GB internal storage, and 6GB RAM/64GB internal storage. You can expand the storage capacity up to 2TB. For enhanced graphical performance, it has an Adreno 512 GPU. Also, the 5000mAh battery makes it all the more impressive.

As for the camera, the Zenfone Max Pro M2 features a dual camera setting on the rear (12 MP + 5 MP shooters) with Sony IMX486 sensor and a 13MP front snapper with an LED flash. It also has other sensors like Fingerprint Sensor, Light sensor, Proximity sensor, Accelerometer, Compass, and Gyroscope.

There are two colour variants for the  Zenfone Max Pro M2 – Blue and Titanium. In India, it’s price starts from Rs. 12,999 (3GB RAM/32GB variant).

Coming to the design aspect of the phone, the Zenfone Max Pro M2 has gotten a major upgrade on this front as well. It features a resin-based, arched rear panel that is super glossy with light-reflecting ability. At first glance, it looks like a glass-back. Coupled with the rounded edges, the phone not only looks good but also allows for comfortable usage.

On the rear, you see the vertically aligned dual-camera module with an LED flash and a Fingerprint Sensor in the top-middle portion. The volume and power buttons lie on the right, and the SIM tray rests on the left. At the bottom, there’s a 3.5mm headphone jack, a loudspeaker, a primary microphone, and a micro USB port.

The front display has a notch that houses the selfie camera along with an LED flash, an earpiece, and other sensors. Apart from a little chin at the bottom, the display is practically bezelless. The front display gets a Gorilla Glass 6 protection so you know it can survive a few drops. Overall, the build quality is excellent.

The phone features a 6.26-inch Full HD, IPS LCD screen (an improvement from the 5.99-inches of the Max Pro M1). The display promises 94% wider colour gamut and 450 nits brightness. The Zenfone Max Pro M2 boasts of having one of the finest IPS LCD panels under 15k. While the text and icons look crisp and bright, the colours look vibrant. Also, the panel’s backlight has improved significantly – now it is more uniform than what in the Max Pro M1. As for the outdoor legibility, it is decent, and the colours don’t look washed out at all.

You also get the adaptive brightness and adaptive display support options which lights up the display whenever you have a new notification, and the phone is locked. There’s a Night Mode that gives the screen a tangerine tint to help reduce eye strain. Asus has added a new feature – the Smart Screen. It keeps the display on, either when you’re holding it upright or when you’re looking at the screen.

The Zenfone Max Pro M2 packs in an octa-core (1.95 GHz, Quad core, Kryo 260 + 1.8 GHz, Quad core, Kryo 260) Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 processor coupled with Adreno 512 GPU. At this price bracket (under 15k), the Snapdragon 660 is the best you can get. And like we mentioned before, there are three RAM variants – 3GB, 4GB, and 6GB. The clean stock Android is another plus point. One of the major reasons to opt for a phone with stock Android is the assurance of regular and stable updates.

When it comes to everyday usage, the Zenfone Max Pro M2 proves to be a top performer. You will face no lag or glitches whatsoever. Multitasking and navigating between apps are as smooth as butter. Even while playing graphic-intensive games like Asphalt and PUBG, the phone performs wonderfully – it works best at medium graphics settings. There are no visible frame drops. While the gaming experience is great, the Zenfone Max Pro M2 comes with a Widevine L1 certification. So, you can stream all your favourite content on Netflix and Amazon Prime Video.

The ZenFone Max Pro M2 comes with a dual-camera setup on the rear – a 12MP Sony IMX486 sensor (f/1.8 aperture) paired with a 5MP depth sensor. While it may seem like a step down from the 13MP+5MP setup of the Max Pro M1, this Max Pro M2 gets a larger sensor (with a 1.25micron pixel size). The camera is equipped with PDAF that helps in locking focus faster. It can also record 4k videos.

Although the camera performance has improved, it still does not impress. In daylight/well-lit settings, the camera can capture some good shots with accurate colours and ample amounts of detail. However, the performance is a tad inconsistent – some shots look great whereas some look overexposed and lacking in details. Also, it struggles in low light conditions – most shots lack sharpness and end up looking grainy. You may notice a slight shutter lag. Portrait shots come out looking good (more on the natural side, since it has no AI enhancement feature).

As for the front camera, you get a 13MP snapper (f/2.0 aperture) with an LED flash. The selfies captured in well-lit settings look decent. The Face Detection feature works well, even while clicking group selfies. You get the option to tweak the level of beautification according to your needs. Even so, the beauty enhancement looks natural (the camera doesn’t go overboard with skin whitening or smoothening, where you end up looking like a mannequin!).

Adding to the list of great things about the Zenfone Max Pro M2 is the battery. The 5000mAh battery is more than enough to pull through an entire day with normal-to-medium usage. Even for medium-to-heavy usage, it performs pretty well. Only when you engage in prolonged gaming and HD video streaming will you see the battery drop faster than usual. Despite Asus’ claim that the phone supports fast charging, it is not so – it takes over two hours for the battery to reach full charge.

Connectivity options on the phone include Wi-Fi 802.11, b/g/n, Wi-Fi Direct, Mobile Hotspot, Bluetooth v5.0, micro USB port, dual-SIM, FM Radio, GPS with A-GPS and Glonass, and 2G/3G/4G support.

To sum up, the Asus Zenfone Max Pro M2 is loaded with all the elements of a reliable and powerful mid-range performer. The phone is an excellent choice for those who want a daily driver with an excellent battery backup, and a decent viewing/gaming experience. The stock Android UI makes the overall experience even better.